It’s a road trip that’ll be a memorable moment of the summer for a man from Airdrie, Alta.
Mike Loughman is hoping it’ll lead others down a similar path of hope and healing.
Loughman is setting off on Sunday, Aug. 13 to walk from Edmonton back to Airdrie.
He’ll be carrying something unusual in his hand for the entire two-week journey – a five-pound fishing weight attached to a chain, secured to his ankle by a leather strap.
‘I’m walking to raise awareness for the stigmas attached to mental health and addictions,” Loughman said.
“So, I’m wearing this ball and chain to represent the stigmas attached to addictions and mental health.”
Loughman, 46, has been dealing with those challenges since he was a teen.
“Around 16, I got into alcohol, and then I got into crack and meth and cocaine, and it spiralled out of control, “ Loughman said. “20 years of fights all the time, I got in trouble with the cops, just hating myself and wanting to kill myself.”
Loughman has been sober for almost nine years, now running ‘The Sober Friends Society’, a support group for people struggling with addictions.
“I help people get sober,” Loughman said. “I’m kind of a sober coach.”
Loughman completed a previous marathon ball and chain journey through Alberta in 2017.
“I walked 1,021 kilometers,” Loughman said.
Covering about a third of that distance with this month’s walk, Loughman will have some company along the way.
“Brodie Bennett-Aru is a young man who reached out to me for support,” Loughman said. “He’s actually going to be walking with me the whole way, so he’ll also be wearing a ball and chain.”
Loughman’s chosen a symbolic spot for the start of their walk.
“We leave from Government House in Edmonton, which is where I won an award called the Lieutenant-Governor’s ‘True Grit’ award,” Loughman said.
Calling the walk “Mike Marches Again for Mental Health’, Loughman and Bennett-Aru will be raising money for programs for people struggling with their mental health and addictions.
More information is available at https://mdsc.akaraisin.com/ui/dd2023/g/40401
Loughman is again showing a lot of true grit, proceeding with his ball and chain walk despite experiencing knee problems.
“Walking with the five pound ball 8 to 10 hours a day, it’s not easy.” Loughman said.
But Loughman feels the effort is well worth it.
“I’m hoping to inspire others, like, other people will see this and go ‘I don’t have to be ashamed, I don’t have to be embarrassed – if he can do it, I can do it.’,” Loughman said. “Leopards can change their spots.”
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